Only a Business Matter
by ChocolateIsMyDrug
Summary: From Elizabeth Gaskell's 'North and South'. Mr Thornton makes a business proposition of his own. Major M/T fluff.


**A/N: **Basically, rather plotless M/T fluff. I'm just expanding a little on Elizabeth Gaskell's gorgeous description, 'some time of delicious silence'.

*

**Only a Business Matter**

*

_'Do you know these roses?' he said, drawing out his pocket-book, in which were treasured up some dead flowers._

_She looked at them, wondering for a minute, then she smiled a little as she said--_

_'They are from Helstone, are they not? I know the deep indentations round the leaves. Oh! have you been there? When were you there?'_

_'I wanted to see the place where Margaret grew to what she is, even at the worst time of all, when I had no hope of ever calling her mine. I went there on my return from Havre.'_

_'You must give them to me,' she said, trying to take them out of his hand with gentle violence._

_'Very well. Only you must pay me for them!'_

_*_

Those luminous eyes positively danced with happiness, and she spoke playfully, her arms still around his neck as when she had protected him from the rioters. 'And what kind of payment do you suggest, sir?'

His smile spread slowly, luxuriously, across his face until the corners of his mouth were an insignificant distance from his ears as he slowly leaned closer to her, his hand gently caressing the temple which had so many months ago taken a blow for him. A couple of inches away now, he hesitated momentarily, looking into her face as if for permission. He received the implicit allowance as she made no move to turn away, and though that beautiful blush had spread up her neck and across her face again, she gave him a small, reassuring smile.

As his lips lightly, reverently descended upon hers, first once, and then again, and again, in a manner simultaneously gentle and firm, she could not stop thinking about how a mere three days ago, she had thought never to see him again – could not stop thinking about how a mere three days ago, such perfect happiness had seemed an impossible dream. As the feeling of exquisite pleasure from Mr Thornton's strange, presumptuous and highly delightful ministrations intensified in direct proportion to his passion, she silently thanked God for giving her the means to bring him back to her, thanked Edith for allowing an extra guest at her dinner party of two days ago, even thanked Henry for his timely absence.

She sighed as she rested her forehead against his, both of them clasping each other close, keeping silence for some time. By and by, her sense of mischief returned. 'Payment enough for you, sir?' she asked archly, dislodging one hand from its position around his neck to hold it out expectantly for her purchase.

Mr Thornton's face grew very serious. 'I'm afraid I've changed my mind, Miss Hale,' he said. 'Much as I detest going back on my word, I'm afraid I have to say that these roses are no longer for sale.'

At her exclamation of surprise and dismay, his lips twitched momentarily. 'I can, however,' he continued gravely, after entreating her to hear out his business proposition, 'offer them to you on a temporary lease. You may take them on the understanding that your lease must be renewed several times daily, approximately every half an hour, and that failure to pay on time because of other company or separation must be compensated with the full balance – as well as an additional late fee – paid at the first opportunity.'

Margaret pretended to think this over, her face a picture of serious contemplation. 'Before I agree to the conditions of your lease, Mr Thornton, I must clarify some of the details.'

'Certainly.'

'When we... when we are...' Again that enchanting blush, he observed with delight. Then she seemed to shake herself and regain her humour. 'That is to say, later you will of course be spending significant portions of your day working in the mill?'

He thought he knew where she was going with this and his lips curled upward of their own accord. 'Of course.'

'Significant time periods in which I will be away from you, and therefore unable to fulfill the conditions of the lease?'

'Of necessity, yes, or I fear I would be always neglecting the business of the mill to oversee the business of your lease.'

'Then of necessity I will also be spending the remainder of my life in some quite serious debt?'

He inclined his head towards her, unable to stop his smile from growing wider. 'It is a definite possibility, yes.'

She looked at him very seriously. 'But Mr Thornton, I should not like to be perpetually in debt, you know.'

The smile faded to be replaced with a slight frown. 'I see.'

She continued. 'Perhaps I may, as we both have time to spare now, begin to make some advance payments?'

Nobody who saw Mr Thornton smile as he did now, would believe him ever capable of frowning. 'By all means,' he said. And this time he waited as she slowly, hesitantly, lovingly made the first move. He could not decide which was more delightful: kissing Margaret, being kissed by Margaret or kissing Margaret while being kissed by Margaret (each was a distinctly different and wonderful experience). However, he had plenty of time to decide as they plunged into the ambitious task of making advance payments for at least a week's time.

*

_'How shall I ever tell Aunt Shaw?' she whispered, after some time of delicious silence._

_'Let me speak to her.'_

_'Oh, no! I owe to her,--but what will she say?'_

_'I can guess. Her first exclamation will be, "That man!"'_

_'Hush!' said Margaret, 'or I shall try and show you your mother's indignant tones as she says, "That woman!"'_

_*_

**A/N: **I hope that wasn't too cheesy? Please do review with any comments, criticisms, etc.


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